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Arthur XII-a monarch of tragedy
A tragic story Early Life Born around June 1669, Arthur Timothy William embraced Roman Catholicsm at the age of 5, hidden in secret from his devoutley protestant father. The young lad formed a key relationship with the Holy See and maintained a monderatley good relatioship with the papacy all his short life. Yet Arthur in doing so would start a sad time for the realm in his rule. The young man was named Arthur Timothy Edward. He grew up devoutley catholic, but in secret. Upon his 13th year, he ascended to the throne in all but name due to his father, Louis III falling ill with a mental/terminal illness. Arthur was deeply religous, praying 5 times a day at least. Then, his father died in 1685 suddenly of a seizure/heart attack. Arthur was away on buisness when his father passed away. King louis III was not able to govern Arthur's rule at the time, and thus Arthur became king. Disclosing of his catholic faith- Arthur immediatly took the throne as King Arthur XII at the age of 16. The next day, May 11th 1685, he announced, "I am a member of the Holy See and the blessed Catholic Church! I declare before God, I am the pope's obedient servant!" This plunged the realm into shock. Arthur XII forced Protestant meetings to be censored and carefully watched just a week later. The protestant faith was restricted very tightly. The first years For the first 4 years of Arthur's rule, with he exception of protestant censorism, all went fairly well. Then, in 1688, Arthur's key ally James II of all England was overthrown and William and Mary took over. Arthur denounced them as traitors and recognized James's son as the true king. This worried the realm considerably, but the worry soon passed, albeit temporarily. Bastard Heir At some point during his 13th year, Arthur produced a bastard heir from his fiance. His bastard heir was christened Anthony Arthur Louis. This was an outrage according to Pope Alexander VIII, but the rage soon soothed, but not in Southwark. Wedding Arthur XII wed his fiance Anne Louise Elizabeth 80 days after Anthony's birth, she was pregnant again 75 days before it took place. New Royal On January 1st 1683, another heir and Arthur's chosen succsesor was born. Prince Henry Richard William's birth was met with opposition by some peasents. Rebellion Prince William Henry Matthew, aged 15, was proclaimed the true king by 50 peasents in Arthur's 21st year and a rebellion broke out. The young prince was crowned King Willliam VIII in Winchester Cathedral, and upon the prince's and peasent's return, the rebellion broke loose Arthur XII knew this was because he had raised a bastard heir. The rebellion failed miserably. Arthur brutally crushed the rebellion with 1400 royal troops. Royal Murder Arthur XII convened a court on his brother without delay. His young brother was sentenced to death by hanging, as was his closest friend, the Earl of Winchester, aged 20. Despite mass protest, Arthur signed their death warrants with great relish and set the date for April 1st 1690. A large crowd gathered on that day by the gallows. The young prince mounted the scaffold dressed in black and with dignity. The young earl mounted it as wll dressed in white and red trim. There stood the hangman and...Arthur himself. The death warrant was read by the hangman. Arthur smiled softly and stepped forward and fitted the noose around William's neck. The hangman, James Williams, soon to slay Arthur, fitted the rope around the earl's neck. Arthur asked if his brother and the earl had any last words. The earl shook his head, but William said, "What you are doing is wrong, good people please pray for me." Arthur XII sneered and placed the black hoods over heir faces as William recited Psalm 31. Then, Arthur stepped back as did the hangman. The hangman then signalled the guards and the trap was sprung. The hanging provoked outrage from the Holy See, but Arthur soon soothed the pontiff and continued rule. Trial On June 27th 1683, the realm's parliment unanimously voted to bring Arthur to trial for murder and illegitmate heir raising. Arthur XII tried to avoid it, but on June 30th he was brought in chains to trial. Arthur faced the courts with dignity and demanded his release. But, it was too late. Sentencing After a sensaitional trial, on July 3rd, Arthur was found guilty of all charges. At 11:17 a.m., he was sentenced to death by beheading the following day between 12 and 4 in the afternoon. Arthur XII, King of Southwark bowed to the sentence willingly and was led to the Tower of Goldstone, a prison tower for royals directly to the north of the abbey. It had 8 rooms on its upper level. Arthur XII could go into any room he wanted on his last night. Last Night King Arthur XII entered a room with only a bed, wardrobe closet and a table and chairs, and a shrine to Christ and Mary that he had built. He sat down at the table to write his will. Upon completion of it, which took up 3 pages, he prayed the rosary kneeling in prayer. Upon completion he did the sign of the cross and sat down again. A doument was brought in that had a place for Arthur to sign that renounced his claim to the throne. There was also a spot for him to pick his sucssesor to the crown. He had 3 options: 9 year old Henry, 10 year old Anthony or 20 year old Queen Anne III. He chose Henry as his sucssesor to the throne due to Anthony's illigeatmency. At 3:00 p.m., Arthur XII was allowed to see his family in a beautiful blue painted room inlaid with gold. Arthur hugged them and told them to witness his execution. Henry asked, "what are they doing to you?" Arthur smiled faintly and hugged his heir again, he was only 9 after all. "They will cut my head from me with an axe" he said sadly. Hennry was startled, but put ion a brave face, "I will dress in my finest blue to watch you go to the blessed savior" he replied. Arthur hugged him tightly again and said, "I know you will, come family let us kneel" Here, the family knelt in prayer, Arthur recited the rosary with his family and the lord's prayer. They then recited psalm 23. Then, Arthur XII bade farewell to his family.They departed and Arthur continueed filling out last papers. He still wore deep purple robes and his crown up to the end. Then, he went to his bed, and fell asleep. Execution and burial Arthur was awakened at 9:00 by a priest who would walk with him to the scaffold with the notification that he would be escorted to his deah at 10:45. The monarch took off his royal robes and dressed in a black robe, ad clasped a red cape around himself, and placed a black 15th century tudor style hat on his head. He then took his bible into his hands, and placed aa rosary around his neck. Kneeling before his shrine, the monarch recited the rosary and made the sign of the cross. At 10:45, after contant prayer, his escort of 6 armed guards arrived. Calm and composed, Arthur XII walked to the scaffold, as crowds lined the wayside. Some jeered, others prayed, and others were to stunned to speak. Children laughed at the royal monarch, and a few made the sign of the cross for his soul. As the bells of Goldstone tolled 11, King Arthur XII reached the scaffold, and gave a pouch of coins to the priest, who gave him absolution. Then, after embracing the priest, the monarch slowly mounted the steps. On the scaffold stood the executioner and his assistant with the Cheif Lord of Parliament. A chair stood near the block for him and one was occupied by the Cheif Lord. Arthur sat in his chair, as the Cheif Lord read the death warrant for him. Upon his finishing, Arthur XII rose and spoke to the people who knelt in respect. "I die your king, and as God is my witness, I forgive you for bringing about my death. I die at peace, with God and with men." The executioner then walked over and knelt with his assistant, asking for forgivness. Arthur whisphered, "Do not be afraid to do your part, I welcome death. Take this," and he pressed his bible into the executioner assistant's hands. Deeply moved, the executioners moved off to the side, exsposing the slab that served as the block. King Arthur XII knelt before it, and folded his hands and recited Psalm 51 and made the sign of the cross. He then bared his neck, and cried out, "Into thy hands o Lord, I commend my spirit, be merciful to my soul, o Lord." The ax was raised, but suddenly, it dropped from the executioner's hands onto the straw. Arthur turned in wonderment, as did the executioner. A boy, about 14 named Matthias stood there calm and composed, wearing a roary, and dressed in black. "Let Arthur XII not die alone, I shalt die with him today." The crowd was to stunned to speak and some made the sign of the cross. Initally, the executioner did not want to do it, but was persuaded to do so when Matthias proclaimed he had no family but the saints of God and did not wish to live any longer. The executioner resolved to slay the king first, and as the ax was raised, a standing Matthias told Arthur, "peace be with thee," and Arthur replied the same, the last words he ever uttered in this world. The ax severed Arthur's head in one stroke. Matthias watched calmly as the body and the head were placed on a bier and carried away. Knowing it was time, Matthias made the sign of the cross on himself, and stood before the block. He sank to his knees, and folded his hands, and recited the Lord's prayer and the Rosary.The youth then bared his neck and cried out in Latin, "In manus tuas domine commendo spiritum meum" (into thy hands o lord, I commend my spirit). The ax flashed down, and Matthias's head fell to the straw. That night, the two were laid to rest in the Goldstone Tombs Of The Kings after a long and emotional funeral service. Category:Monarchs Category:Executed Monarchs